Live updates: Columbia University starts suspending student protesters

Dozens of protesters were arrested at the University of Texas at Austin during a demonstration organized by the Defend Palestine Encampment. The protest, which took place on the school’s South Mall Lawn, quickly escalated when officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Austin Police Department, and campus police arrived in riot gear.

According to organizers, around 40 people were arrested, with reports of police using flash bangs, mace, and other chemical munitions during the arrests. The encampment accused officers of using excessive force to take people into custody.

Brian Davis, senior manager for issues and crisis communications at the university, stated that the university is working on compiling information, including the number of people arrested, for a news release later on Monday. The Travis County Sheriff’s Office will not have a total number of arrests until Tuesday morning.

Protesters demanded that the University of Texas divest from the Zionist state of Israel and from all institutions and companies enabling the current situation in Gaza. They also called for the resignation of President Jay Hartzell for authorizing the militarized response to peaceful student protesters on campus.

CNN’s Joe Sutton and Cindy Von Quednow contributed to this report. The Department of Public Safety has been reached out to for comment on the incident.